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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. game — wild animals
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. craft — boats
  6. game — a match
  7. toast — bread
  8. craft — a skill
  9. foot — a measure
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stand — to bear
  15. content — happy
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. content — videos and posts

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com